Suction device

Abstract

To facilitate suction of a fluid object.SOLUTION: A fluid object can be sucked from a suction nozzle 11 of a suction passage part 10 connected to a tank 20 by an ejector 60 for evacuating the inside of the tank 20. A bottle 30 is connected through a tube 40 to a suction hose 12 that is connected to the suction nozzle 11. The bottle 30 stores a cleaning liquid for improving the fluidity of the fluid object. When the suction of the fluid object is started and the pressure in the suction hose 12 is lowered, the cleaning liquid in the bottle 30 flows into the suction hose 12 through the tube 40 and mixes with the fluid object in the suction hose 12. An inflow of the cleaning liquid changes according to the pressure change in the suction hose 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fluid suction device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are devices for suctioning highly viscous fluids, such as grease or waste ink, remaining in a machine or the like. Patent Document 1 relates to an example of such a device. The device in Patent Document 1 includes both an ejector and a suction pump as devices for generating negative pressure for suction. First, the ejector suctions the fluid, and when the suction flow path is filled with the fluid and suction by the ejector becomes difficult, the driving state of the device is switched to suction by the suction pump. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-105295 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Depending on the viscosity of the fluid being sucked, it may be difficult to suck it up with a suction pump. A new method to make it easier to suck up fluids is desired.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a suction device that employs a new technique for making it easier to suction fluids. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The suction device of the present invention comprises a suction passage portion that sucks a fluid from a suction port formed at the tip portion, a vacuum generating portion that communicates with the suction passage portion and sucks the fluid through the suction passage portion by reducing the pressure in the suction passage portion, a liquid storage portion that stores a liquid that improves the fluidity of the fluid, and a supply passage portion that supplies the liquid in the liquid storage portion into the suction passage portion, wherein one end of the supply passage portion communicates with the liquid storage portion and the other end of the supply passage portion communicates with the suction passage portion, and wherein the amount of liquid flowing from the supply passage portion into the suction passage portion fluctuates due to fluctuations in pressure in the suction passage portion, the lower the pressure, the greater the amount of liquid flowing in.

[0007] In the suction device of the present invention, a liquid that improves the fluidity of a fluid is supplied from the liquid reservoir to the suction passage through the supply passage, thereby facilitating suction of the fluid.

[0008] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the amount of liquid flowing into the suction passage varies due to fluctuations in the pressure within the suction passage. For example, if a fluid is difficult to suction due to high viscosity or other reasons, the fluid tends to clog the suction passage, causing a decrease in pressure within the suction passage. In other words, the magnitude of the negative pressure within the suction passage increases. In this case, the decrease in pressure within the suction passage increases the amount of liquid flowing into the suction passage. This makes it easier for the fluid to be suctioned. Conversely, if the fluid is easily suctioned, the pressure within the suction passage increases. This reduces the amount of liquid flowing into the suction passage. This prevents the amount of liquid flowing in from becoming excessive given the state of the fluid.

[0009] In this way, the liquid is supplied into the suction passage at an inflow rate that corresponds to the difficulty of suctioning the liquid, thereby realizing a device that can appropriately adjust the inflow rate of the liquid according to the difficulty of suctioning the liquid.

[0010] In the present invention, it is preferable that the supply passage is provided with a flow rate adjustment mechanism that can adjust the flow rate of the liquid by user operation. In this case, depending on the viscosity of the fluid, suction may be difficult even if there is a mechanism that can adjust the amount of liquid flowing into the suction passage according to the difficulty of suctioning the fluid. In such cases, the user can operate the flow rate adjustment mechanism to directly adjust the flow rate of the liquid, making it easier to suction the fluid. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a suction device of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the inside of the tank of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of a connection point between a suction hose and a tube, surrounded by a dashed line III in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view of a tube showing a state of connection with a flow rate adjustment valve in a portion surrounded by a dashed dotted line IV in FIG. 1. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] A suction device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. The suction device 1 is a device that sucks highly viscous fluids, such as grease or waste ink remaining in a machine or the like, from the machine or the like. As shown in Figure 1, the suction device 1 has a suction passage 10, a tank 20, a bottle 30 (a liquid storage section in the present invention), a tube 40 (a supply passage section in the present invention), and an ejector 60 (a vacuum generating section in the present invention).

[0013] The suction passage 10 has a suction nozzle 11 and a suction hose 12. The suction passage 10 sucks the fluid with the suction nozzle 11 and stores the fluid in the tank 20 through the suction hose 12. The suction nozzle 11 tapers toward the tip, and a suction port is formed at the tip. The rear end of the suction nozzle 11 is connected to the suction hose 12. The other end of the suction hose 12 is connected to the top of the tank 20.

[0014] As shown in Figure 2, the tank 20 has a main body 21, a connection part 22, an inner container 23, and a collection bag 24. The main body 21 is a cylindrical container with a hollow interior. The upper part 21a of the main body 21 serves as an openable and closable lid. A packing and a clamp are attached to the lid, which seal the upper part 21a to prevent communication between the inside and outside of the main body 21.

[0015] The connecting part 22 is cylindrical and is installed at the upper part 21a of the main body 21. The connecting part 22 connects the suction hose 12 and the main body 21. The inner container 23 is a container that opens upward. The inner container 23 is installed inside the main body 21. The opening 23a of the inner container is located below the connecting part 22. The collection bag 24 is hung on the inner container 23.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, an ejector 60 is connected to the tank 20. The compressor 50 is connected to the ejector 60 via a connecting tube 55. Compressed air is supplied from the compressor 50 to the ejector 60. The compressed air from the compressor 50 generates a high-velocity airflow within the ejector 60, which reduces the pressure within the ejector 60. This pressure reduction causes air within the main body 21 of the tank 20 to be sucked into the ejector 60. As a result, a vacuum is created within the main body 21, and the pressure within the suction passage 10 connected to the tank 20 also decreases, causing the fluid to be sucked through the suction port at the tip of the suction nozzle 11. The sucked fluid flows toward the tank 20 through the suction hose 12 (see FIG. 3) and flows into the tank 20 via the connecting part 22. The fluid that flows into the tank 20 falls into the collection bag 24 below the connecting part 22.

[0017] The bottle 30 stores a cleaning liquid therein. The cleaning liquid may be a surfactant, kerosene, or other organic solvent. These have lower viscosity than fluids, and mixing with the fluid improves its fluidity. A tube 40 is connected to the bottle 30. The end of the tube 40 opposite the bottle 30 is connected to the suction hose 12 near the connection point with the suction nozzle 11. That is, the distance from the point where the end of the tube 40 connects to the suction hose 12 to the suction port at the tip of the suction nozzle 11 along the suction passage 10 is shorter than the distance from the point where the end of the tube 40 connects to the suction hose 12 to the end on the tank 20 side along the suction passage 10. The inside of the tube 40 is in communication with the inside of the suction hose 12. Therefore, when the pressure in the suction hose 12 decreases, the pressure in the tube 40 also decreases. This pressure decrease causes the cleaning liquid in the bottle 30 to be sucked into the suction hose 12 through the tube 40 (see FIG. 3). As a result, the cleaning liquid flowing into the suction hose 12 mixes with the fluid in the suction hose 12. The force that sucks the cleaning liquid into the suction hose 12 is greater the lower the pressure inside the suction hose 12, and is smaller the higher the pressure inside the suction hose 12. Therefore, the amount of cleaning liquid that flows in naturally fluctuates in accordance with fluctuations in the pressure inside the suction hose 12.

[0018] An on-off valve 41 shown in Fig. 1 and a flow rate adjustment valve 42 (a flow rate adjustment mechanism in the present invention) shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 are installed midway along the tube 40. Both the on-off valve 41 and the flow rate adjustment valve 42 are manually operated. The on-off valve 41 can switch the state of the tube 40 between an open state in which the cleaning liquid can flow through the tube 40 and a closed state in which the inside of the tube 40 is blocked and the flow of the cleaning liquid is blocked.

[0019] The flow rate adjustment valve 42 has a flow path portion 42a, a valve element 42b, a male thread portion 42c, and a knob 42d. The flow path portion 42a forms a communication flow path 42e that connects the bottle 30 side of the tube 40 with the suction hose 12 side of the tube 40. In the figure, the valve element 42b is fixed to the left end of the male thread portion 42c, and the knob 42d is fixed to the right end of the male thread portion 42c. The valve element 42b moves left and right in the figure, thereby changing the size of the gap formed between the inner surface of the communication flow path 42e and the valve element 42b. The male thread portion 42c meshes with a female thread portion formed in the flow path portion 42a. Rotating the knob 42d moves the male thread portion 42c left and right. This changes the size of the gap between the inner surface of the communication flow path 42e and the valve element 42b, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing through the tube 40.

[0020] The suction device 1 is used as follows. The ejector 60 is driven by starting the supply of compressed air from the compressor 50 to the ejector 60. This creates a vacuum inside the tank 20 and the suction passage 10, allowing the fluid to be suctioned through the suction nozzle 11. As suction of the fluid begins, the on-off valve 41 is switched from a closed state to an open state. This allows the cleaning fluid to flow through the tube 40, and the cleaning fluid in the bottle 30 flows into the suction hose 12 through the tube 40. The cleaning fluid mixes with the fluid in the suction hose 12, improving the fluidity of the fluid.

[0021] As described above, the amount of cleaning liquid flowing into the suction hose 12 varies depending on the pressure inside the suction hose 12. For example, if the fluid is smoothly suctioned, the pressure inside the suction hose 12 is maintained within a certain range. Therefore, the amount of cleaning liquid flowing in is also maintained stable.

[0022] On the other hand, the ability of the suction device 1 to suck fluids depends on the viscosity of the fluid, the degree of vacuum generated by the ejector 60, the length of the suction hose 12, the capacity of the tank 20, and the like. Depending on these conditions, the fluid may not be sucked smoothly, and the suction hose 12 may become clogged. If the suction device 1 continues to operate in this state, the ejector 60 will attempt to further reduce the pressure in the suction passage 10 through the tank 20, even though the fluid in the suction hose 12 is not moving. As a result, the pressure in the suction hose 12 will be lower than when the fluid is being sucked smoothly. When the pressure in the suction hose 12 decreases, the amount of cleaning liquid flowing into the suction hose 12 increases. This improves the fluidity of the fluid, making it easier to suck the fluid smoothly. Conversely, when the fluid is being sucked smoothly, the pressure in the suction hose 12 increases, and the amount of cleaning liquid flowing into the suction hose 12 decreases. This prevents the amount of cleaning liquid from becoming excessive given the state of the fluid.

[0023] As described above, the amount of cleaning liquid that flows in depends on the difficulty of suctioning the fluid. In this way, the suction device 1 according to this embodiment can self-adjust so that an appropriate amount of cleaning liquid flows into the suction hose 12 depending on the difficulty of suctioning the fluid.

[0024] Furthermore, this embodiment is provided with a flow rate adjustment valve 42. Therefore, if the fluid is difficult to smoothly suck up even with the self-regulating mechanism described above, the flow rate adjustment valve 42 can be operated to increase the inflow of cleaning liquid, making it easier to suck up the fluid.

[0025] Once the suction operation of the fluid is completed, the supply of compressed air from the compressor 50 is stopped, thereby terminating the operation of the suction device 1. The fluid accumulated in the tank 20 can be collected by opening the lid on the top 21a of the tank 20 and removing the collection bag 24 therein from the tank 20. After removing the collection bag 24, the empty collection bag 24 is placed in the inner container 23, and the lid of the tank 20 is closed, thereby making the suction device 1 ready for the next suction operation.

[0026] [Variations] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments. The present invention is not limited to the description of the embodiments, but is also defined by the claims, and includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. Modifications of the above-described embodiments will be described below. Furthermore, parts common to the above-described embodiments will be designated by the same reference numerals as above, and descriptions thereof will be omitted where appropriate.

[0027] In the above-described embodiment, an ejector is used as a means for generating a vacuum (a vacuum generating unit in the present invention). Alternatively, or in addition, a vacuum pump may be used as a means for generating a vacuum.

[0028] Furthermore, instead of the flow rate adjustment valve 42 according to the above embodiment, another flow rate adjustment mechanism may be used. For example, a valve body with a different structure or a valve body with a different structure for changing the degree of opening of the flow path may be used.

[0029] Alternatively, a mechanism for automatically adjusting the flow rate of the cleaning liquid may be employed instead of manually. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which a drive unit such as a solenoid that drives a flow rate adjustment valve and a means for detecting the flow rate of the cleaning liquid and the pressure difference before and after the valve are installed in the tube 40, and a computer or the like automatically controls the drive unit in accordance with the detection results.

[0030] In the above case, if control based on the pressure inside the tube 40 or the pressure inside the suction hose 12, such as the pressure difference before and after the valve, is used, it becomes possible to control the pressure inside the suction hose 12 to maintain a range in which the fluid can be smoothly sucked in. This is an alternative to the mechanism for automatically adjusting the flow rate of the cleaning liquid in the above embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 1 Suction device 10 Suction passage section 11 Suction nozzle 12 Suction hose 20 Tank 30 bottles 40 tubes 42 Flow control valve 60 Ejector

Claims

1. a suction passage portion that sucks the fluid from a suction port formed at the tip portion; a vacuum generating unit communicating with the suction passage and configured to reduce the pressure in the suction passage to suck the fluid through the suction passage; a liquid storage section for storing a liquid that improves the fluidity of the fluid; a supply passage portion that supplies the liquid in the liquid storage portion into the suction passage portion, the suction passage portion has a hose through which the fluid sucked from the suction port passes, one end of the supply passage portion communicates with the liquid storage portion, and the other end of the supply passage portion communicates with a middle portion of the hose, A fluid suction device characterized in that, due to pressure fluctuations depending on the state of the fluid in the suction passage, the amount of liquid flowing from the supply passage into the suction passage fluctuates so that the lower the pressure, the greater the amount of liquid flowing into the suction passage.

2. 2. The liquid suction device according to claim 1, wherein the supply passage is provided with a flow rate adjusting mechanism that is operable by a user to adjust the flow rate of the liquid.

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